tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31069882.post7500656341671494777..comments2023-12-16T16:17:43.886+00:00Comments on Fr Ray Blake's Blog: From The Bishops’ Conference of ScotlandFr Ray Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05584140126211527252noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31069882.post-34505663397762133952012-08-30T16:25:00.246+01:002012-08-30T16:25:00.246+01:00Can someone explain why this is such a big deal wh...Can someone explain why this is such a big deal while remarriage after divorce etc isn't? It strikes me there is a fair amount of homophobia mixed in with the disapproval on theological grounds. Physiocrat is right about there possibly being more important things to be vocal about. <br /><br />My iPhone hates trying to make comments on this site- apologies for typos etcBadum-tish!https://www.blogger.com/profile/04932124088187191793noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31069882.post-32199898707473658522012-08-29T12:11:43.840+01:002012-08-29T12:11:43.840+01:00I heard it read and preached on in one parish on S...I heard it read and preached on in one parish on Sunday and heard it preached on the day after in another. Both priests were very supportive and the congregation was very positive afterwards.<br />JimJimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07913615216295077439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31069882.post-29487913846961059382012-08-28T14:12:38.238+01:002012-08-28T14:12:38.238+01:00I'm not sure we should worry too much what ...I'm not sure we should worry too much what 'people' outside the Catholic Church are saying about us: certainly, as far as the secularized media are concerned, it's hard to imagine their ever saying anything complimentary. The clarity will attract some and repel others: 'twas ever thus. On the child abuse scandal, where there is truth in the accusations, that should be acknowledged and dealt with -but it can't paralyse the whole teaching mission of the Church. (Any more than should the behaviour of (eg) the Renaissance Papacy.)<br /><br />I disagree about the centrality of same sex 'marriage'. Quite apart from the inherent difficulty in ranking truths, the issue seems to touch on a number of important areas in modern culture: autonomy, feminism, the relationship of biology and gender, the place of the family as a bulwark against the market etc. In any case, the Scottish Bishops have been outspoken on other social teaching issues -see eg on the government's economic policy http://www.heraldscotland.com/mobile/news/home-news/pms-policy-is-immoral.17450731?_=dc3c03160a963f53d408a0ed65f17901fe7ad6b8<br /><br />It's a bit like the sorites paradox: each individual issue might not be worth going to the stake over, but, ignore them, and you end up with a heap of trouble.<br />Lazarushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09716412032074416331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31069882.post-63249245719693071372012-08-28T08:49:40.013+01:002012-08-28T08:49:40.013+01:00umblebpie, you should listen to what people outsid...umblebpie, you should listen to what people outside the Catholic church are saying about us. The resonances of the clerical abuse scandal are going to rumble on for at least a decade, which means that the church hierarchy have no moral authority in this area.<br /><br />Moral authority is also lost when Christians generally focus on one set of issues to the exclusion of others. Abortion and euthansia are key and those are areas where we absolutely must not keep quiet, but even in these cases were are perceived as obsessives. This would not happen if we also put our energy into promoting other aspects of Catholic Social Teaching, the neglect of which is more damaging to family life than this measure.<br /><br />There has been no great demand for "civil partnership" since it was introduced. The proposed legislation is pretty much of an irrelevancy anyway. To define it as "marriage" is an abuse of language and worrying on that account but it is not fundamental in the way that the economic crisis has deprived families of homes and the means of a livelihood. Or even, for that matter, the fact that the price of a roof over one's head is unaffordable unless both husband and wife are working. Now THAT is what is damaging to families and worth getting angry about.Physiocrathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13682019625346594568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31069882.post-26811037079537789792012-08-27T13:28:39.889+01:002012-08-27T13:28:39.889+01:00Full marks to Cardinal O'Brien and the Scottis...Full marks to Cardinal O'Brien and the Scottish Bishops. I don't understand how any Catholic can criticise their initiative. It's no good suggesting that the Church keep a low profile for the next decade (Physiocrat), by that time it will be too late! Please God that the evil and corrupting same-sex marriage agenda will be defeated.umblepiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13455889107917179909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31069882.post-81509905003261086502012-08-27T13:05:52.229+01:002012-08-27T13:05:52.229+01:00Interesting article here with the results of vario...Interesting article here with the results of various opinion polls:<br /><br />http://www.christianconcern.com/our-concerns/sexual-orientation/tories-set-to-lose-votes-of-millions-of-churchgoers-over-same-sex-ma<br /><br />Another interesting article here saying something I for one hadn't realised about Stonewall and gay marriage. As yet they still haven't backed it. The LGBT lobby have certainly kept that one quiet.<br /><br />http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/stonewall-is-split-by-row-about-samesex-marriages-2095468.htmlBJChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07593104081224026799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31069882.post-59666669808066657982012-08-27T10:34:58.049+01:002012-08-27T10:34:58.049+01:00I'm afraid I have to side with Physiocrat on t...I'm afraid I have to side with Physiocrat on this one. This is not to diminish the stand of Cardinal O'Brien (how one has longed for unequivocal teaching by our hierarchy on just about everything). In too many instances, by word or deed or by lack of them, the Church appears to be giving mixed, if not incoherent, messages. It is a case of Catholic Church heal thyself.Gentyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05569143943867323153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31069882.post-62040563657162035382012-08-27T10:21:59.785+01:002012-08-27T10:21:59.785+01:00Unequivocal, I agree.Unequivocal, I agree.Gigihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13592406521067190359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31069882.post-84689426761783635512012-08-27T10:08:05.962+01:002012-08-27T10:08:05.962+01:00This whole subject is fraught with problems,whatev...This whole subject is fraught with problems,whatever one says brings accusations of some sort.<br /><br />Politicians are not to be trusted and vociferous minority groups in favour of same-sex marriage seem to wield an awful lot of power.<br /><br />Even in Brighton it is difficult find many who actually want it.The best solution would be to have a Referendum, YES or NO,then we would know exactly what is wanted.<br /><br />There are all sorts of problems that nobody ever mentions,would Bigamy laws still stand?.Can we discuss it down the pub?nickbrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18412418782531527758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31069882.post-29950981301228090602012-08-26T23:24:23.042+01:002012-08-26T23:24:23.042+01:00I don't disagree but after all the scandals wi...I don't disagree but after all the scandals within the church the bishops are in a weak position to make pronouncements in this subject area. It seems to me that the main damage to society is being caused by the decline in the church itself.<br /><br />A major factor here is the bishops' reluctance to deal with the problems caused by the very poor standard of liturgy, decline in the use of confession, abolition of important feast days, and poor catechesis, especially in schools. These are matters which are entirely within the control of the bishops and are indeed part of their core duties. In my view, the bishops have failed the church itself.<br /><br />In the meantime, the cause would be helped best by keeping a low profile for the next decade. Physiocrathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13682019625346594568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31069882.post-8576287788909249042012-08-26T22:26:54.491+01:002012-08-26T22:26:54.491+01:00Not where I am...Not where I am...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13608918636818679585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31069882.post-29766592459359791782012-08-26T20:41:08.703+01:002012-08-26T20:41:08.703+01:00No paragraphs in Scotland?No paragraphs in Scotland?Amfortashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07580253432208073322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31069882.post-4648567772858113262012-08-26T19:56:32.391+01:002012-08-26T19:56:32.391+01:00Some confusion in the household this morning as we...Some confusion in the household this morning as we heard this on the news; our Father had read this out to us last week at Mass!<br />But it is good to hear such clear and unequivocal teaching and leading.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13608918636818679585noreply@blogger.com